Bank counter



April 22, 1930. P. A. DAVIS, 3D

BANK COUNTER Filed Sept 17. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1N VEN TOR. P404 flaw/5, 3

April 22, 1930. P. A. DAVIS, 3D 1,755,917

BANK COUNTER Filed Sept. 17, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Pfluz. 1930/9105, 3?

1 I L y ATTORNZW Patented Apr. 22, 1930 UNITEDISTATES"PATENT OFFICE T PAUL A. DAVIS, '31), OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO DAVIS, DUN- LAP & BARNEYpA PARTNERSHIP GGMEOSED OF PAUL A. DAVIS, 3D, M. EDMUNIDS DUNLAP, AND WILLIAM POPE BAR-NEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA BANK COUNTER Application filed September 17, 1928. Serial No. 306,389.

In the design andlconstruction of banking rooms and banking counters it is necessary and desirable that easy access for the convenience: of bank oificers' and the public should be combined withsafety against possible robberies and hold-ups. Under modern business conditions, it is also desirable to permitof the development of personal con-- tact between the bank officers and the public with a view of developing good will and facilitating and increasing business. It is furthermore necessary to devise a construction r barred cells and placed the public at largein the embarrassing position of being distrusted.

There was further created a gloomy atmosphere for the bank oiiicers to work in and greatly hampered communication between the ofiicers and the public with attendant disadvantages v Other equipment heretofore devised resulted in concealingfrom view the activities of a bank ofiicer, so that when a depositor handed the teller cash to deposit, he could not se'efthe teller counting the money, so that if a difference in the count resulted, it would be difiicultto determine whether the depositor or the teller was in error. The same condition arose when money was handed by the teller to the depositor, when money was withdrawn; I

7 Still other equipment heretofore known and used, in addition to the disadvantages heretofore enumerated, failed to provide means for protecting securities while the 'tellerwas otherwise occupied or after closing hours, it being necessaryto' remove suchsecurities to a place ofsafety'such as a safe, vault rfthelikeQ Other constructions of banking rooms or bank equipment have been rather complicated and expensive and occupied excessive room.

It is the object of my present invention to provide a banking room construction, which will enable both the tellers and customers clearly to note and observe each others activities thus saving time in eliminating the necessity of recounting and checking up and affording ample opportunity for communication and the establishment of friendly personal contact, which is desirable and essential for success in modern business.

Another object of this invention is to pro-' vide a neat,'and artistic construction or enclosure which at the same time provides adequate privacy and safety against banditry and which affords the officers of the bank adequate light and ventilation.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means for securely locking the money and other securities handled by the teller in the tellers stall or cage without the necessity of removing the same to other, distant places of safety, thus effecting a saving of time and increasing the efficiency of operation.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a construction of a bank counter wherein the teller will be secured in his privacy, and his funds at all times well so guarded; the tellers working position being sufficiently close to the customer for the mutual recognition and ease of conversation, and every convenience and facility afi orded the teller for his comfort, working space,

light and ventilation.

My novel invention further provides so far as regards the customer for his maximum convenience and despatch of business, and

further assurance that his transactions may not be subjected to the inspection of other customers nearby, thereby conserving the customers time and avoiding confusion.

To the above ends my invention consists of a novel bank counter for use in banking and similar establishments, comprising an upright lower wall or support forming an en closure, an enlarged shelf or counter carried bysaid support, the outer portion of said shelf being'available for the use of the public and the inner portion or maximum horizontal area of said shelf forming the working counter for the bank olficer or teller, a guard Wall or apanel ed is uper mpose 111 01. 7

I the. passage ofbulkyarticlesysuch as satflhfii s" said she-Ijff afnfcl set beck froin the outer edgethereof, "a swinging gate or wicket in said guard, which when open is adapted to permit of bullionor large rolls ofbills5 side drawers formed in the bottom of said counter for keeping the money and securities on hand, a central shelf adapted to receive a pistol or other'weapon for use in an emergency and a roll top desk arrangement on either side of said gate or wicket adapted to be closed over t'l i j tellers working counter which latter serves as a base for the roll top is'op'era t vely connected 'LO'SZLld money drawers, so

closing roll tops ,over the'countjer thernoney drawers are lockedsimultaneously. My invention "further consists "of various other novel fatureslof construction and advantage all as hereinafter described and aimed For the. purpose of illustrating-my invention l have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is present pres. ferred me, since 'thesame has been found in practicesto give satisfactory and reliable sul s, a t que'hit i's' llq'be u derst d at the various in'strumen talities of inyin verifie ns ts Ca be e buf ar a e and organized and-that invention is not view taken in i- 30f F g :liiguree, r presen s vo i imited, to t Pre i atrane m e e 'd' d aanzatio of the instri inentalities as herein shown a d sc ib li V In th asompanyine dr win s Elgl lfily epres ts a fro t pe specti ew it a a king om'ceiie el V w d f m p tside, mbodying ie etiei igure-2, r p e en s 1% eerre sp e View of he same viewed f om h n ...Fig1l, ,3, represents a vertical sectional I sectional View 011E116; of Figure 2. Y

' 7' Referring o t e r wi gs 111 which l k reference charact s i dic te likai r e, 1

ig-nate a jcege s ba k c un r, embodying 'ny invention comprising thebase portion-2 whlchfsupportsfthe upper horizontal elon-V gated shelf or cou1 ter'3,1which may beef trood, m tal or the likeand'whieh be suit.-

' ably decorated to harmonize with the sur rounding fixtures. 4 designates I parallel transverse vertl al panel O v llssec i e o the top of, the count r a d hav n th ir outerf-ends bridged the h'l'l gfid eat wicket .5 Q any suit b e t a spare t material such as bullet proof .or'the l ke, carr ed hi h em cbmposed-ef e t e l end'mei' th transverse pp d ver he zent l v-members 642 3 4 1 the 14F 2 be n sna'cedehove tliet p' 0f the 991 1 3:1 l

* be understood from Figure 3. Su'pported'on the inner thickened slatesi the shelf 3 and slightly set back from the outer edge thereof, is the upright panelled wall or vertical riser 8; having the rearwardly extending flat top or upper surface 9 between which and the transveise walls 501 panels 4 and 10, are 'ftir'r'nedthe roll top desks 11, best seen in Figure 2. Between the walls 4 of the roll top desks-isiermed he com ar ment @1 tellers saunter v1.2 for tl e teller't? at eilfl to hi dut es- Qn he horiz tal Well? eres cured the posts 13, which preferably terminate in spikes'and which in conj unction with e the horizontal rails or rods 14 form aprotectivegrille, it being. -understood that said i l may b 'pmvided wi h e W re m l or fabric screen iffsjo "desired. Below the roll bp d sks 1. Mid o 'medi i the 'b tflm 6 the shelf for counterfi are the cash orfn onev drawers 1, be ween which I p ovid a p geon hole or 'shl'f '5 he e e firearm mav ei ep i 'er ative y m-11. to the cla h l 'eq s by-th up ight slid ngrol'clls seen ii ig l having? the tool: m bel ila wh ch engag the {rea edge '24 of the drawer 16 'whei the rloll'top file/skis closed (see 'Fi' ure 4) the drawe be ng el 'aediby a a tion f h p ing 2Q Whien e' l P' desk s op ned i the us'iialfin anner. 7 .e e

I will b un ersto d f om Figure 4, ha

when the edge 24 abuts eese the inclined nose 25 of the dog or hook I? whenf he draw is f l fi he he 1 T l b ra sed age s the ten i n Of 'the spr" 2.0- W'hen e' b l t p is ope d or pushed 'ein er lly, esthe'top en f" the "rod or ba 18h si'vv1 g the lat er t ris whe eupon the hook '19 1 1 1ove's out of eneasemen ith hl edg r 24,180 that the drawer 1!: r adi yope ed ea erly urb Op n ing the1cp tii g QP1 f the r U tOp fiSi above. i It willheunderst d the e lmeb iismfei 'r ilte n) ot er shittop desks and the cash drawerslii may be employed. The,oijiterport-i 'Qlofthe counaconvenien-t work e, 1 lay-a w e ewhil 611 1 1sin a checker counting his cash, while the inner greater portion orarea gives the'teller ample The transparent u y iefie ile theopening and closing or'loc'king of the roll drawers and down lock the roll compartment 12 between the juxtaposed walls 4 of a pair of roll top desks 11, which is convenient, and visible to the teller and the public, the operations of the teller and customer being performed on the same level, that is the top of the counter 3. Thus, if a depositor hands in money for deposit, it is V 'visiblewhile the teller is counting it, since it might otherwise be possible, intentionally or'otherwise, for the teller to lose a bank note or two with undesirable results. If on the the other hand, the teller counts the money in full view of the depositor, the chances of a serious dispute are obviously minimized. Similarly'when a check is cashed it is desirable for the customer to see the teller count the cash soas to save the necessity of a recount by the customer.

Still another feature of my novel con struction is that the height of the posts 13,

plus the height of the panelled riser 8, are such as to prevent, persons outside the tellers position from reaching over to where the cash and other valuables are kept. On the other hand, the height of the posts alone at thepoint registering with wicket 5 is not sutfiment of personal contact between the oflicers V of the institution and the public thus promoting good feeling and good will. F urthermore this construction lacks the appearance of a barre-d cell which imparts tothe customer approaching it a feeling of distrust. It will be apparent that by my invention, I have provided a cageless bank counter, which is open as distinguished from the conventional closed or cage type, whereby a maximum service can be given to both the bank and its patrons, while at the same time fully conserving the atmosphere of privacy and security essential to present day banking in its relations with the public. It will be apparent from the foregoing that my novel fixture is relatively low, whereby the customers shoulders and head are above the fixture and he thereby has a clear and unobstructed vision of the space or room behind the fixture, and he is also enabled to observe the working force, since there isnothing to obstruct either the tellers or the customers View, and in addition the teller can more quickly and fully identify the customer, since all obstructions are removed and conversation between the teller and customer can be clearly'heard sothat the customer is served more promptly and efficiently.

The roll top desks 11 are arranged in pairs throughout the counter, so as to afford for each teller a working compartment 12, and the top of the counter 3, serves as the base for all the roll top desks as is evident.

It will be apparent that by my novel construction the next person in line cannot see the name of the depositor in front of him nor the amount of his deposit, nor the name of the maker of the check being cashed, or know anything about any transaction other than his own, which privacy is desirable in all financial and business matters.

It will further be apparent that greater protection is afforded, because a sneak thief can'neither reach nor see the money or valuables. In the case of a hold up, the tellers hands must eithergo up or stay down. If ordered up, they would instantly become visible to everyone in the bank or office, both in the lobby and behind the counter as there is nothing to obstruct the view. Furthermore, the bandit making the .hold up could not get the money or valuables in proximity to the teller without the aid of an accomplice or a clerk or without climbing over the counter which act would be practically impossible, as it would leave the criminal in an awkward position and unable to protect himself.

On the other hand, if the bandit ordered the teller to keep his hands down, or to keep quiet, or to hand the money over to him, he could not see the hands of the teller, and therefore would not know whether the teller was getting money or a fire arm.

Furthermore, it will be apparent that a teller is somewhat protected against his own weakness, because any false move could easily be seen by his associates and others in the bank or ofiice, it being well known that many losses in banks are inside jobs. An even distribution of heat and fresh air is had, since everything is low and open and the absence of high cages creates the impression of a larger room,.so that a bank or ofiice with a small ground arrangement can produce the effect of a larger room without having to buy more land or build a larger building.

While I have described my invention as being particularly adapted to banks, it is equally applicable to brokers otfices, building and loan associations, realtors oflices and the like.

By my novel device the customer has a clear a 

